> The problem with the supposition that the Church is back in exile mode (and to pray for peace of the city) is that the typological symmetry of Christ, the new and better Joshua, sees the church entering the land and dispossessing the unrighteous inhabitants of the world.
Not quite: the typolgoical symmetry I'm pointing at is that the Church is Rahab, waiting in a "cosmic Jericho" for his return--not marching with him in the attack. The Church is in the walls, not marching around them. (This is what I mean by saying we are in the world but not of the world precisely because we're of the kingdom but not yet in it [in a geographical sense] -- the ethical rule precedes the geographical realm).
> “The gates of hell” (or any other nation delineating border) will not stand against the happy, insisting, forward march of the people of God.
...well, to mix the metaphor a bit, yes, exactly, but this happens by preaching and persuading the faith once delivered: "faith comes by hearing, and hearing comes by the Word of God." This "forward march" which comes by the word (and not by the sword) is the essence of the Great Commission--don't you think? In this analogy, Rahab goes about Jericho telling others the good news - "he's coming!" Again, in this analogy, "Jericho" is the entire world (cf. Matt. 28:18-20). (Maybe I missed your point?)
> Also, trying to separate the mandate given to the first Adam and restatement of that mandate given by the Last (who is in fact the one who mandated it in the first place) simply won’t do. God’s mind and place are one, from beginning to end.
I'm confused by this. Yes, God's plan is one. But, are you saying there's no progressive unfolding of that one redemptive plan through history? A seed-gospel in Genesis 3:15 that slowly blossoms through various covenants until its first flowering in the first advent of Christ? Are you saying, as well, that we should all be following Levitical law today (since his mind is one)? Or have the civil and ceremonial laws of the Mosaic economy "expired along with that state", since "the old is passing away," and "with a change in priesthood comes a change in law, also"? I think what you've said here may preclude the very idea of a 'new' creation ([Rev. 21:5](https://esv.org/Rev12.5)). There is not 'one Covenant' given for all creation and all history--thankfully:
> Q. 30. Doth God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery?
> A. God doth not leave all men to perish in the estate of sin and misery, into which they fell by the breach of the first covenant, commonly called the covenant of works; but of his mere love and mercy delivereth his elect out of it, and bringeth them into an estate of salvation by the second covenant, commonly called the covenant of grace.
-- [WLC 30](https://opc.org/lc.html)
Having said all this, I wonder if I've missed your point(s) entirely. If I have, my apologies. I'm still on my first cup of coffee. 🤙
freeborn | ἐλεύθερος
npub1ak…r0gwg
2025-03-27 13:22:36
in reply to nevent1q…7gue
Author Public Key
npub1ak5kewf6anwkrt0qc8ua907ljkn7wm83e2ycyrpcumjvaf2upszs8r0gwgPublished at
2025-03-27 13:22:36Event JSON
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"content": "\u003e The problem with the supposition that the Church is back in exile mode (and to pray for peace of the city) is that the typological symmetry of Christ, the new and better Joshua, sees the church entering the land and dispossessing the unrighteous inhabitants of the world. \n\nNot quite: the typolgoical symmetry I'm pointing at is that the Church is Rahab, waiting in a \"cosmic Jericho\" for his return--not marching with him in the attack. The Church is in the walls, not marching around them. (This is what I mean by saying we are in the world but not of the world precisely because we're of the kingdom but not yet in it [in a geographical sense] -- the ethical rule precedes the geographical realm).\n\n\u003e “The gates of hell” (or any other nation delineating border) will not stand against the happy, insisting, forward march of the people of God. \n\n...well, to mix the metaphor a bit, yes, exactly, but this happens by preaching and persuading the faith once delivered: \"faith comes by hearing, and hearing comes by the Word of God.\" This \"forward march\" which comes by the word (and not by the sword) is the essence of the Great Commission--don't you think? In this analogy, Rahab goes about Jericho telling others the good news - \"he's coming!\" Again, in this analogy, \"Jericho\" is the entire world (cf. Matt. 28:18-20). (Maybe I missed your point?)\n\n\u003e Also, trying to separate the mandate given to the first Adam and restatement of that mandate given by the Last (who is in fact the one who mandated it in the first place) simply won’t do. God’s mind and place are one, from beginning to end.\n\nI'm confused by this. Yes, God's plan is one. But, are you saying there's no progressive unfolding of that one redemptive plan through history? A seed-gospel in Genesis 3:15 that slowly blossoms through various covenants until its first flowering in the first advent of Christ? Are you saying, as well, that we should all be following Levitical law today (since his mind is one)? Or have the civil and ceremonial laws of the Mosaic economy \"expired along with that state\", since \"the old is passing away,\" and \"with a change in priesthood comes a change in law, also\"? I think what you've said here may preclude the very idea of a 'new' creation ([Rev. 21:5](https://esv.org/Rev12.5)). There is not 'one Covenant' given for all creation and all history--thankfully:\n\n\u003e Q. 30. Doth God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery?\n\u003e A. God doth not leave all men to perish in the estate of sin and misery, into which they fell by the breach of the first covenant, commonly called the covenant of works; but of his mere love and mercy delivereth his elect out of it, and bringeth them into an estate of salvation by the second covenant, commonly called the covenant of grace.\n\n-- [WLC 30](https://opc.org/lc.html)\n\nHaving said all this, I wonder if I've missed your point(s) entirely. If I have, my apologies. I'm still on my first cup of coffee. 🤙",
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